King Saul disobeyed the simple instruction that God gave him. “Destroy everything and everyone in Amalek, leave no plunder”, the Lord instructed king Saul. But for some reason, king Saul did not follow through with the instructions given to him by God. A few years ago, I may have joined the party of people to lash out at king Saul at how easy it was to follow God’s simple instructions but he did not. But as I keep growing in my walk with God, I repeatedly understand that I cannot obey all of God’s instructions with my strength. Because some instructions “be” so hard!
Perhaps out of his kindness or empathy, king Saul could not just bear to destroy all of God’s enemies. But the God who gave the instructions knows the end from the beginning. Therefore, it just always pays to obey Him peacefully. Although God had anointed king Saul as king, his reign made God sad. He was not an obedient king.
And so, God found for Himself a young man after His heart to seat on the throne in Israel. This decision, God communicated with prophet Samuel(I Samuel 16:1) – this emphasizes yet again for me that God does share His mind and decisions with at least one of His children on earth before He does them. One would think that with prophet Samuel’s stature with God at that time, he would just arise and go anoint David. But that was not the case, prophet Samuel responded with fear. Fear of what the current king would do to him if he learned about his sojourn(I Samuel 16:2). Prophet Samuel did not only express his fear, but He also asked God how to go about the instruction he was just given. I love how expressive he was with God and even more, I love how God shared with Him some wisdom about how to anoint David(I Samuel 16:2-3). This scenario proves God’s word is true!
First, God desires a solid relationship with us, one where we commune with Him freely. Secondly, God has told us to ask Him for wisdom if we ever lack and He would give us(James 1:5-6). God told the prophet, Samuel, exactly what to do and how to go about anointing the new king in wisdom. As we go deeper into this study, I would love to point out something at this junction. God did not reveal the identity of the new king to the prophet Samuel. God’s revelation of this information to the prophet Samuel was dependent on his initial obedience to His first instruction. I also recognize this pattern as God led Abraham to the promised land. God did not reveal details of the land. He revealed the details as Abraham obeyed each instruction on the journey. Even with the journey of Moses and God’s people through the desert to the land he had planned for them. God did not reveal all of the details to them. He kept revealing things to them as they took each step forward. And they came out victorious as often as they listened and obeyed His instructions.
In the last six years, as I have walked with God, I recognize this similar pattern with my God as well. He gives instructions and I may not get to understand the depth or width of His first instruction until I make the first move. I have heard men of faith in this age and time say this in so many different ways.
Let us go back to God’s word which is profitable to direct us; the journey of the prophet Samuel to anoint king David.
The prophet Samuel got to Jesse’s house as directed by God and as he gets there, he saw this great-looking man. Prophet Samuel is convinced that Eliab was the one to be anointed as king of Israel(I Samuel 16:6). Thankfully, Prophet Samuel did not lean on his own understanding, he still inclined his ears to God’s leading. God instructed him to ask and wait for David the youngest of them all and perhaps the one dimmed unfit to be king by His father. Lo and behold the unexpected happened, God instructed the prophet Samuel to arise and anoint David as king(I Samuel 16:12).
I dare say that king David was one of the best, if not the best king that God’s people had. He poured out his all and went all out for God’s people. As young as 17, he was already defending the interest of God’s people against Goliath. Even more, all the victories he brought for the camp of the Israelites when he became king. But something is noteworthy, David’s kingship depended on prophet Samuel’s continuous obedience to each of God’s instructions. Imagine if he had chickened out initially out of fear of what king Saul would do to him. Imagine he did not ask God for wisdom to proceed with the journey, imagine he had just assumed Eliab was king- “Israel for don hear am!!“. Israel would have been done for if the wrong person, Eliab was anointed as king. Imagine if the prophet Samuel struggled with God about anointing David. But thank God those things are left to our imaginations, thank God prophet Samuel obeyed, thanks to his simple and continuous obedience to God Israel had the best king ever. And we are also able to read and learn about a man after God’s heart who reigned as king.
My dear, what is God saying to you in this season, what projects has he dropped on the tarmac of your heart to start? In what ways is He telling you to serve, yet you are stalling for fear of the unknown? Perhaps your long-awaited blessing is tied to your obedience to His instructions. I would like to encourage you dear to obey God’s voice as He leads you on His paths of righteousness, ask Him for wisdom if you think you lack the wisdom. One thing that I have learned over and over is that if God is indeed sending you and you take Him along, He would always make provisions. All you need to bring to the table is your obedience and trust in Him.
As I wrap up this post, I hope and pray that you are encouraged to reach back into your journals to see the things God has told you to start. Or perhaps reach back into your last conversation with God and act on those instructions. As you do so, take God along, and ask Him for wisdom just as the prophet Samuel did, ask Him for guidance and provisions. He that sends you is able to supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory.